


Behind the Rose-tinted glasses

by AlphaAbi



Category: Gene Autrey (films), Roy Rogers (films)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Gen, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-15
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-07-24 04:23:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7493694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaAbi/pseuds/AlphaAbi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trigger remembered the day everything went wrong. He didn't really know what went wrong, he just know that things hadn't happened as they should have. Things weren't right that day, he know that much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Behind the Rose-tinted glasses

Trigger remembered the day everything went wrong. He didn't really know what went wrong, he just know that things hadn't happened as they should have. Things weren't right that day, he know that much.  
As a horse, he didn't understand much of what Roy told him, or what anybody told him for that matter. However, he understood that day was bad and that bad things happened. And, it still haunted him.

It was cold that night. The cool breeze was welcomed after the long day that Trigger had spent with Roy out on the range. Roy's friend, Gene Autry, had come with them, riding his sorrel coloured steed, Champion. For two stallions, they got along rather well. They'd become close friends over the past few months that Roy and Gene had stayed with each other. Both horses enjoyed each other's company; it was far nicer than being alone in the field. Granted when they were out on range, traveling, Trigger always had Roy to keep him company. But, Champion was better than Roy because Champion was there all night and all day. He was always beside Trigger, in the field or on a ride. When Roy and Gene settled down beside the campfire to sing when the sun had long set, Trigger stood beside Champion and they rested together by the glowing light.  
Trigger found it strange that he got along with Champion so well. To him every horse was competition. He fought them over territory and mares and Roy. No other stallion would be aloud to go near his owner if Trigger was around. Roy was his, as far as he was concerned, and nobody else's. Yet, he liked Champion; he liked him a lot. He didn't understand why but he knew there was no competition between them. Champion didn't want Roy, he had Gene. He didn't want the mares or land that Trigger had; he seemed content going wherever Gene went. Trigger seemed to understand, to a certain degree.  
Most nights with the two of them were the same. It was normally spend by a campfire, after Roy and Gene had finished singing and laid down their guitars. Once the two had fallen asleep, the horses often relaxed together. But, now that they were back at Roy's ranch, they had the whole field to themselves. There were no rope to keep them tied by the fire and Roy and Gene weren't lying silently beside them. So they spend the night galloping up and down the stretch of land together. It was at this time that the sun became hidden below the horizon and the stars began to appear in the sky. Being like this reminded Champion of the days he spend before he met Gene, when he lived with the wild herd in the canyon. He reared and bucked and throw himself back and forth, not a care in the world, completely free. Trigger was captivated by Champion's energy. The sorrel stallion had the speed of a wild horse and about as much spirit too. When Trigger was around him, all he wanted to do was dance. 

It was than that it happened. Trigger hadn't seen Dale Evans, Roy's girlfriend, arrive at the driveway or enter the house. He was only aware that something was wrong when the ranch house lights flashed on. Trigger didn't know how why lights were turned on and off, he didn't even know what lights were, but he knew that you don't normally turn them on in the middle of the night. The sudden change made him stop and look across at the house. Champion did the same.  
Next, there was a sound that left Trigger on edge. It was somewhere between a scream and shout, somewhere between shock and disgust. Champion was beside Trigger now, ears pressed forward so he could hear what was happening.  
Next came the sound of a slamming door followed by muffled voices. These voices became louder and louder, more angry and frustrated. At first Trigger could only hear Dale's voice, yelling at the top of her lungs. Next, he heard Gene and then, finally, Roy. That scared Trigger. He'd never heard Roy shout with such pure hatred and malice before. He couldn't even remember the last time Roy was remotely angry.  
Trigger hated it when humans shouted; it only ever meant bad things. They shouted when they were angry or terribly upset or in large amounts of pain. And, Roy's yells didn't sound natural. The Roy Rogers Trigger knew didn't raise his voice like that, didn't sound so desperate and hurt. It scares the horse to think what was wrong, what had made Roy like that.

Suddenly, without a second thought, Trigger decided two things. The first was that he hated Dale and that she was to blame. The second was Roy needed him and Roy was in the right. All of these presumptions were based on one thing. That thing was that Trigger was entirely loyal to Roy and in his eyes Roy could do no wrong. He would die to save his owner.  
The stallion was pacing up and down, beside the fence now. He tried to listen, to hear where the voices were coming from. If he'd thought of it, he would have jumped the fence but he was too distracted at the time. It was too late anyway. Before he could do anything else, the front door smashed open and Dale appeared. She was furious and wildly upset. Her makeup was running, ruining her pretty face, and her perfect hair had fallen to one side. Trigger watched her storm down the driveway. He pushed his ears back and lifted his head up at the sight of her. Roy crashed through the door next. He looked awful too but a different kind of awful. He looked ashamed and distressed. He was in complete and utter anguish, anyone could tell that he was destroyed.  
"Look, I'm sorry!" He yelled, voice laced with agony.  
"I don't care, anymore!" Dale's reply was even louder. She turned around again and went to leave.  
Trigger let out a furious roar and stomped his hooves, repeatedly. Roy's eyes settled on the horse as Dale thundered off. Trigger kicked at the air again and tore after Dale, only to be stop by the fence. He didn't see Gene step out of the house as he was too busy warning Dale off. He didn't have to though; she was already gone.  
Gene, like Roy, was plastered in guilt. His shoulders hung low and he stared at the ground. It was such a departure from his usual self. Champion stood at the edge of the fence, crying out for his owner to come and see him. As he looked back at his steed, Gene's eyes were blank and hollow looking. He looked back across at Roy but as the other man looked into those empty eyes, he couldn't help but look away. 

With that, Gene hurried to the field's edge and grab a halter that was hanging on the fence. He opened the gate, silently but not steadily, and stepped towards Champion. The sorrel stallion instantly padded over to his owner. Gene pulled the halter over the horse's head and began to lead him to the gate. At first, Champion seemed willing but then he became deathly afraid. As Gene tried to pull him out through the gate, the horse throw his head back and let out a heartbreaking cry. Trigger raced towards him, confused and scared. He whined and throw his mane about. Champion tried to reach him with his muzzle but was pulled away, out of the field. The gate slammed and the lock fell closed. Trigger was sent into a panic. He didn't understand. Roy was angry and everyone was shouting and now Champion was being taken away. The palomino stallion reared up and let out an awful shriek. He galloped down the stretch of field, chasing after Champion and Gene as they walked down the drive. Champion pulled on the rope and neighed back at Trigger.  
Gene stopped and looked back, longingly. Roy just sighed and turned his back on them. After watching Roy walk away, Gene pulled Champion on and disappeared down the pathway.

Trigger was still by the fence, crying out for Champion but there was no reply. He reared up one last time and searched over the land. There was not a soul in sight. He could no longer see Champion or Gene. He looked around, frantically. Roy had disappeared too; not even Dale was around now.  
Trigger was alone. Before he'd met Champion, he'd spent every night alone. But, that was different. He never knew the feeling of love until he'd met the other stallion. Now he knew what was love's like, he was having it torn away from him. He didn't even have Roy to comfort him. Trigger throw his head back and forth again as he galloped down the field. His agonised screams could almost be heard from inside the house. Only they were drowned out by the similar cries made by Roy himself.


End file.
